Hi All
February 2009 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Things were going ok just now. On Tamoxifen and just started to feel a bit more confident with life etc. etc. But then yesterday my other half was diagnosed with prostate cancer. We don’t yet know the full prognosis. Going to hospital next week. He will be having a bone scan also because he has a constant pain in his leg. I know prostate cancer is oneof th emore easily managed cancers but I just cannot believe we are going through this again.
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this but I just need someone to talk to.
This is as good a place as any to post, you know you’ll have lots of sympathy even if there’s nothing else we can do for you. You just go ahead and let rip as much as you need to, no-one on here will judge you.
Hi all - Thank you a so much
I have posted a couple of comments but they are not showing up. Probably all come at once. Either that or someone somewhere will be getting posts they don’t understand!!! Sorry if 2 or 3 posts come through together.
XX
I feel for you as i am also waiting for my partners results on a throat biopsy. It does seem unfair doesnt it. My partner walked in and said I told you we was in this together and you just cant keep anything to yourself. At least we try to have a laugh together about it. I wonder how many other people have a partner with cancer. Cancer once diagnosed just seems to be everywhere.I know more friends with cancer now, or is it you just dont notice so much before diagnosis.
Hope all goes as well as it can for you.
Hello Hatty - absolutely unbelievable that this can happen. We also try to laugh about it but it remains a huge cloud over you.
I too have found lots of people with cancer since my diagnosis. In fact a friend who met me for lunch and offered support when I was diagnosed has herself been diagnosed this year. I know how stupid it sounds but for a fleeting moment I did wonder if this cancer lark wasn’t contagious.
Thanks for your comments and I also wish you and your partner the every best of luck and hope all goes well for you both.
Merry Christmas (sounds a bit ironic I know - but I do mean it in the best way possible)and for the New Year GOOD HEALTH XXXXX
Life is a b**ch. My partner was also dignosed with prostate cancer 3 weeks ago. He’s had a bone scan and a pelvic scan and we are waiting for the results. It’s very early stage so we are hoping that all he’ll need is radiotherapy. We did hope that 2011 would be a better year. You have to plod on though don’t you. Humour does help. If he does end up having to have chemo then he can borrow my wig!!! Corydory - I hope that your partners prognosis is good.
Cadi xx
Both my sister in laws, one SiL’s daughter and my next door neighbour have all been diagnosed with cancer in the past year. Lung, colon, spinal and ovarian. Sadly, my SiL’s daughter is only 30 and terminal and my neighbour also has a poor prognosis.
Just wanted to say that i was Dx a cpl of weeks ago with BC but my Dad who has been a godsend the last cpl of weeks with my children etc was DX with Prostate cancer 3 years ago this month, he is currently very well & his PSA levels are now of that of someone without Prostate cancer (32!! at DX, now 0.01), my experience has taught me that the current treatments out there for prostate are fabulous in fact my father was lucky to be able to take advantage of a new treatment called Brachy Therapy which is an implant that shoots radiation at the area alongside Hormone Therapy, the ironic thing is that because of his hormone therapy I found myself at the Breast care Clinic last year because he had developed “lumpy boobs” which turned out to be nothing but Se of treatment & here a year later I too am sat in same clinic unfortunately not with such good news but life goes on as they say & these last 3 years my dad has been an inspiration to me.
I truly hope after the last difficult year for you all will turn out well for you & your husband & send you my best wishes & hopes for the future.
Hi All
Feeling a bit sick now as it gets closer to the hospital appt. we have no idea what the outcome will be! As always with cancer it all happens so quick (and yet feels so slow!!!) I remember feeling like this last year when I was going for my results - just have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. God it’s so awful this cancer business.
I did get some news though - my pre-op date for new boobs is January 18th. I have waited for this news and was looking forward to getting it done and meeting the new me!!! All a bit insignificant now —though my OH has insisted that whatever happens with him tomorrow we will go ahead with my operation (it is something we both talked about and he knows what it means to me.
Oh well - lets see what tomorrow brings… Phew.
Hi, it gets darn worse took the dog to the vets thought she had cancer of the ears talk about cancer paranoid, me thinking it was catching also but as it happens it is dermatitis. phewy…
Im having my 4th fec tomorrow so will be back on here for a few days during the queezy couple of days. Thanks for your good wishes and heres hoping that all goes straight forward for you. Im thinking of you. My OH gets result on 10th January.
Cheers Hatty. Flippin good luck for you also on the 10th. Hope the next few days aren’t too hard on you. I was fortunate not to have Chemo and went straight onto hormone treatment (Arimidex didn’t do for me so now on Tamoxifen).
XXXX
Im half way through now, due to start the T part of chemo and 12 month of Herceptin in another 3 weeks time. Chemo has been kind to me and i havent suffered as much as others. Hope all is well with you.
Hyah
Seen the doc today. My OH cancer seems to be confined to the prostate gland but he needs 2 scans to confirm. The cancer is in the higher risk area so treatment will be needed. All being well he can either have op to remove prostate gland or have 7/8 weeks radio therapy. Doc says they have a deadline of January 30th for operation/treatment.
They did say that because I am also having treatment and waiting for an op they can postpone but we have both agreed we want to get on with this lot and give us a chance to be sorted by March so we can book a bloody good holiday …watch this space.
Hatty - how did your chemo go today. All ok i hope for you.
XXXX
i worked in nurse led urology for a year with prostate patients and some have some really significant side effects following surgery as its very radical having the prostate removed… when they sew the urethra together there will be incontinence for at least a few weeks but can actually be much longer… also causes erectile problems etc they only usually offer the surgery for younger men so if hubby is younger its a good option if he is prepared to ride the side effects out.
make OHs surgeon give you figures as it can be treated with radiotherapy and drug treatments called finasteride and dutasteride which help shrink the prostate.
also brachy therapy which somebody else mentioned is an option for internal radiation from the brachy therapy seeds… its done in theatre as a day case and has some really positive outcomes.
some less aggressive cancers are unlikley to do serious damage particular in older onset cancer.
many will have no treatment but follow a watch and wait programme with regular PSA checks until anything changes dramatically…
there are loads of options so dont just feel you have to go with the fisrt thing they suggest… like breast cancer different suregoens and oncologists have different prefernces to how they treat but its ultimately up to the patient to decide which route they wish to go down.
there is a website similar to this for men with prostate cancer and their families… prostate-cancer.org.uk/
Hi Lulu - Thank you. I have been onto the site. Very useful. Have downloaded the recording diary and it might be useful.
So far it feels like there is some concern about my OH cancer. We know he has Gleason level 7/8. We know it is aggressive. The hospital have rung today and arranged for him to have MRI and bone scan next Tuesday. They are moving very quickly for what is supposed to be a slow growing cancer. Worries me a bit. He started this road to treatment about 6 weeks ago by going to the doctors with a pain in his lower back and leg. He still has the pain and I am scared this may be why there is such an intense response to his diagnosis. On the other hand, maybe they are just looking after him. It was all very quick for me in Feb 2009 and I was in the hospiatal and on treatment within 3 weeks of the diagnosis. Maybe this is what happens with everyone. I don’t know.
XXXX Cory
fingers crossed the bone scan doesnt show anything worrying however they sound like they are on the ball so if there is any secondary cancer hopefully they can get on top of it quickly.